GOLF

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 141, 18 June 1927, Page 22

GOLF

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COMING ITZNTB;

September 2 to Septembw 10—New Ztalaoi Golf Champlomhlps, at Hamilton. August 31—Kirk Cup Champion Game* at Ham. llton. . ■ May 21—flutt y. SUramar.

HORTON'S GOLF;

IS IT AN AUGURY?

GENERAL NOTES

The fine golf played by Horton ia Jsyaney, in matches where tho strain must have been immense, settles very definitely any question of hia temporal mental qualifications for the highest honours of the game, and the confidence and experience, to say nothing of the steady play over a long period against golfers of the biggest caUbre, should stand him in-good stead in the Dominion championships in September. There are very few men in his own club at Masterton who can give him a game worth while, and nono of them, except tho professonal M'lntosh, who could consistently challenge him. It must not be forgotten that Horton is one of the few farmers who play the game with distinction in New Zealand, and on his farm he does a vast amount, ot solid work. That he finds time to get in enough practice, is wonderful, and he certainly, does not get in; as much as other eminent New Zealand players. His 72 against Bussell must have been a wonderful round, and the exit of the last New Z'ealander from tho New South Wales amateur championship was tomething we have every reason to be proud of. He must have been putting brilliantly in the morning, but after being robbcd j of a win by a stymie at the eighth in the afternoon, his putting touch seemed to desert him for a while. Nev. ertheless, when 4 down and 6 to play, he won two holes, halved the next, and won the 1 next, reducing the lead of his opponent to lup and two to go. At this critical stage of the thirty-six hole contest, his ball moved when' he wa» addressing it, and he lost 2 and 1: '' Macfarlane has-proved very erratic^ and Boss, for some reason, has Hot played so well as he did Oil his last visit to Australia.' " '

A." D. S. Duncan went down to one of the best golfers in Australia after a brilliant morning round of 35, which If repeated would almost certainly have assured him victory, but 36 holes a day in strenuous golf .is'somewhat of a strain for a golfer Who Won the New Zealand amateur championship thirty years ago, and the falling-off in the afternoon is quite, a natural sequence. Duncan is one of the finest putters in New Zealand when on that club, but when he is off it, he is of ten very much off it, and this appears to lave been the troUblo this time. Quin's Sprained wrist is regrettable; but after all, New Zealand has won the first Kirk-Wind-eyer Cup, and the president of the New Zealand Golf Council wili have^ the satisfaction of seeing the fact, engraved upon that fine'trophy, for the contest of which,ho waß the promoter. ... . Sydney Press Comment

■Commenting on the Ne'WZealahderfj* .first' appearance at Bose Bay, the Sydney Press was complimentary. ■'V ■ '.'■'.. "Of particular interest was the appearance of the New- Zealand KirkWindeyer Cup quintette, of Whom amateur champion A. D. 5.,: Duncan had k the ..honour." of leading the amateur .'s* team. The players were cldeely followed by a keenly ,interested 'gallery/ and they acquitted themselves in a way that greatly enhanced their prospects for the coming international contest. To the onlookers the standard of play. disclosed by the visitors Was Somewhat of a revelation. Duncan, though now Well past the 50' mark, - handled his clubs with a deftness that would have "been a credit to a Champion in his prime. In his stance there is the suggestion of the well-known metropolitan crack, T.G. Murdoch> but the swing and followthrough '. attain even ' a higher degree of smoothness and infinite control than is apparent in the artistic action) which is, bo conspicuous in, the home player V game. It is doubtful if- a finer amateur exponent than, A. D. 8. Duncan has ever been seen on " Sydnoy courses. - / "T. H. Horton and L. Quin excelled in the iron games. Both drive a fine ball, and they give little aWay Oh the greens, but with the iron they ate su« preme. Horton 'scored the outstanding win of the day. Hib opponfentj ■ 1?. . opplewell, was at.a disadvaatsge, owing to recent illness, but life played :' nno golf, nevertheleas, and the New. I Zealand crack recorded a great -performance in emerging 4up and 3. At the fifteenth, where the match finished, ."-. he averaged even i ,'s, a feat that is not often achieved at Itose Bay." ■■•' . Macfarlano and Boss also ireeeivi Commendation. A Handsome Oup. .A handsome cup has been presented by Messrs. E. \V. Mills and 00. to th« Hutt Golf Club for annual.competition, and it will fora the chief trophy in the. Hutt Club's annual ' tournament, during Welcome Week, the winner* , club to hold the cup during the year. A, full programme has been arranged by, the Hutt Club for the Welcome Week tournament this year, from 21st July to 23rd July. Hutt fairways, with the exoeption of the two new holes, arai now in first-elaus order. General Notss. . ' Napier won the Wilson Cup ' front Masterton Club last week-end in a rainstorm, and conditions were almost UuI playable, while the golf was naturally; of a poor order. »X W. Perry gave I Kapi Tarcha a good game, losing only; 2 and 1.

B. V.. Wright, who Won the BOUtli Canterbury Golf< Championship las^ year, and in doing bo completed the; second round in 72 strokes—the best amateur round ever played in competU tion on the Tiniaru courts—wai again victorious this year, his rounds of 78 and 73 respectively giving a total ot 151, three strokes better than the next competitor E. A. Scott, 77-77—154, with; L. fiutapter 85-74-459 third and J. WFair 82-50—162 fourth.

Sloan Morpeth, the former New Zeat land amateur champion, has taken up residence at Palmerston North. It is on and round the greens that' the long handicap: man loses most ground. Some of the work through the' v tairways at Mii-amar amongst the jun-i iors on Saturday was remarkably good, but in approaching and in the approach; putts there was a unanimity of unccr-. ■ tainty amongst half a doitn tialn run^ ning.

There are many ways in which 4 caddie can make or roar a game, gome boys grasp the essential quickly, and others always have to be told what to do ia some detail of the game. One of the most exasperating things it to loao several strokes through striking the pin,, and if caddies would realise that the pin is a danger on the green, and always koep it well off the ground when the putt has been struck, this would bo obviated. Most of the best players, whevener the hole is at all visible, ask that the pin be taken out, and some of them are not satisfied until the caddie and pin have removed themselves from the neighbourhood of the cup altogether. Tartakover. doesn't • often get the chance of a 3 at the 11th •■ at Miramar, and if he had got it oa Saturday it would have been remark* able, as the putt was a long one, but it was straight, and because the caddie did not take the pin away, after showing the hole, the Wl struck it lightly*, ■ and remained out, thus costing fiat jp